Are You Under the Thirteenth Zodiac Sign?

I read from Claire's and Caroline's blog about the new zodiac sign for the European Horoscope. The thirteenth zodiac sign is named Ophiuchus.

Ophiuchus, according to Wikipedia, is a large constellation located around the equator. It is usually treated as the thirteenth zodiac sign by some astrologers. Ophiuchus is a constellation that represents a man that holds a serpent, which is represented by the constellation Serpens. Ophiuchus was listed by an astronomer named Ptolemy and is considered as one of the modern constellations.

According to some astrologers, Ophiuchus is the only zodiac sign that is referenced to real persons that existed in history. Some astrologers say that the thirteenth zodiac sign represent the 27th Century Egyptian doctor Imhotep or the Bilical Joseph. Other astrologers say that Ophiuchus represents the Sumerian god Enki. In Japan, Ophiuchus is popular and he is called as hebitsukai or the snake messenger.
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Ophiuchus is considered as a healer or a doctor of medicine or science. Therefore, people under Ophiuchus have inborn talents in healing techniques and are excellent doctors or medical practitioners. Also, people under the thirteenth zodiac sign seeks enlightenment and higher education. People under the thirteenth zodiac sign are expected to acheive high position in life.

This is the sign of Ophiuchus
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The symbol for the thirteenth zodiac sign is a capital letter U that is superimposed with a tilde (~).

The news about Ophiuchus became hot when an astronomer Parke Kunkle announced the existence of a thirteenth zodiac sign located between Scorpio and Sagittarius. The reason for the addition of the thirteenth zodiac sign is the wobble of the earth's axis in relation to the sun. The wobbling of earth is a contniuous process and the positioning of constellations and other heavenly bodies are different when astrology started as compared to the positioning of constellations today. This is the reason why Ophiuchus was being considered as an additional zodiac sign.

Here is the new zodiac calendar. Notice that Ophiuchus was placed after Scorpion and before  Sagittarius.

    Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16
    Aquarius: Feb. 16 - Mar 11
    Pisces: Mar 11- Apr 18
    Aries: Apr 18 - May 13
    Taurus: May 13 - June 21
    Gemini: June 21 - July 20
    Cancer: July 20 - Aug. 10
    Leo: Aug. 10 - Sept. 16
    Virgo: Sept. 16 - Oct. 30
    Libra: Oct. 30 - Nov. 23
    Scorpio: Nov. 23 - Nov. 29
    Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17
    Sagittarius: Dec. 17 - Jan. 20

So, are you under the thirteenth zodiac sign? Do you believe is astrology? Do you believe that that Ophiuchus should be added to the list of zodiac signs?
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

George Heffley will be facing the worst threat in his life yet and that is the possibility of being sent to a military training camp during the summer vacation. That is the wimpiest possibility in his life yet.

The Last Straw is the fourth book of the Wimpy Kid series. Just like the previous books in the series, The Last Straw is still funny and many of the fun parts were delivered via the comics on every page. However, like what I said in my review of the previous books, this installment of the series lost its wow factor simply because I got sated with the wimpy problems of George Heffley. The characters are still shallow for me to identify with them. I get some laughs at this book, however, after that I generally forgot what is in the book.

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Maybe this is the main objective of the author, Jeff Kinney. His objective is not to give readers deep appreciation of the characters. The author just wants to give the readers a few good laughs. If this is his objective, then he is quite successful.

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Greek Gods are alive! And Mount Olympus is just an elevator ride inside New York’s Empire State Building.

This is the premise of the fantasy series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which was written by Rick Riordan and published by Hyperion Books.

The fantasy novel became popular that Disney created a movie adaptation of the series’ first book, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Other books in the series are “The Sea of Monsters,” “The Titan’s Curse” and the “The Battle of the Labyrinth.”

It fantasy novels are popular that some reviewer’s said, “Harry Potter step aside for the new fantasy series.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, follows the story of Percy Jackson, the demigod son of Poseidon. Just like the Greek heroes of old, Percy Jackson was involved in various quests, specifically, the quests to avoid the rise to power of Kronos and the Titans.
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In the first book, Percy Jackson thwarted the plan of Cronos to get the master bolt of Zeus. In the next books of the series, Percy and other demigods are fighting against the plans of Cronos and prevent the return of the deposed Titans to power.

I liked the first book because of its many allusions of the elements of the Greek myths. I specifically liked the part where Percy and his quest mates went down to Hades. I like how Charon was characterized and the continued swelling of Hades’ population, especially the increase of the underworld god Hades’ problem of managing the overpopulated realm.

However, I disagree with the hailing of this series as the next to Harry Potter series. My main reason for this is that Rick Riordan’s work is stale as compared to J.K. Rowling’s masterpieces.

There is also a problem of the reliance on “deus ex machina” on the next books of the series.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a popular book, however, it fall short that’s why I can’t consider the series as a masterpiece.

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